R&D Achievements

Moving Forward

The results of the monitoring analyses show that the completion of the objectives set in the R&D Roadmap 2013–2022 has progressed considerably since 2013 from an estimated 11% of completion to 38% as of today.

Notable Facts

1. The number of monitored projects in this report is 71, compared to the 38 projects monitored in the R&D Monitoring Report 2013.

a. Important European projects have been successfully completed since 2013 or have been newly incorporated into this report, and their results have become available (AFTER, BestGrid, eBadge, EcoGrid EU, e-Highway2050, GridTech, ICOEUR, iTesla, LIFE, Merge, Real-Smart, SEETSOC, ­Umbrella, and Twenties), in addition to many ­national projects.

b. New European projects were funded and have started since the R&D Monitoring Report 2013 was published (Best Paths, e-Storage, evolvDSO, FutureFlow, INCREASE, Migrate, Promotion, and Smartnet).

2. There have been major achievements to facilitate the massive integration of renewable energy sources into the system, e. g, by the improvement of wind forecasts, the use of probabilistic approaches, better assessment of required reserves, and the implementation of innovative tools to support the decision-making process for system operators.

3. A new set of management and control concepts to facilitate the safe integration of electric vehicles into the European electricity system has been developed, using as much renewable generation as possible, including a suite of simulation tools capable of analysing the effect and adequacy of different integration scenarios.

4. New tools support the long-term planning of the European electricity system, providing options for a pan-European grid architecture under different scenarios, including a combination of distributed generation, demand management, storage, and ­innovative transmission technologies (FACTS, HVDC, UHVAC, etc.), and paying specific attention to the integration of large quantities of ­renewable energy sources.

5. There have been studies on the feasibility and ­effect of the development of an offshore grid system in the North Sea and on the integration of wind energy into the European system.

6. New tools support the simulation of cross-border interaction, including power flow exchange, ­frequency regulation, reserve sharing, wide-area monitoring, and data exchange definition and procedures.

7. Several initiatives aim at reducing the environmental and social effect of power infrastructures as well as to increase public perception and acceptance.

Cluster Progress

Figure 5 provides an overview of progress of the R&D Roadmap and its clusters compared to 2013, as it was published in the R&D Monitoring Report 2013.

Figure 6 provides an update on the progress towards completing the R&D Roadmap and its clusters, at the end of 2015. The estimated percentage of completion is 38 %, while an additional 1 7 % is already underway (i. e., over half of the technical objectives are covered).

As shown, Clusters 1, 2, and 3 have achieved a high degree of completion, especially Cluster 1, while ­future efforts should focus on Clusters 4, 5, and 6 in order to achieve the desired objectives.

Appendix 1 (enclosed in the download PDF) provides a detailed monitoring analysis of the R&D performed for each cluster and its functional objectives.

Figure 5

Figure 6

Cluster 1:
Grid Architecture

67%

Completed Projects

21%

Ongoing Projects

11%

Not started

This cluster provides a set of scenarios and methods for developing a network infrastructure that hosts massive amounts of renewable energy sources and growth in demand with acceptable network investments and operating costs beyond 2020. Almost all the technical issues considered in this cluster are already covered, thanks to contributions from Best Paths, e-Highway2050, GridTech, InspireGrid, Merge, Realisegrid, Twenties, 11 other European projects, and 14 national projects.

Cluster 2:
Power Technologies

49%

Completed Projects

28%

Ongoing Projects

23%

Not started

This cluster addresses the affordability and technical performance of components of emerging technologies that can significantly improve the operations of the interconnected transmission systems. Work is well advanced with a majority of issues already covered due to R&D contributions from Anemos Plus, Best Paths, Ewis, Migrate, Promotion, Real-Smart, Twenties, WindGrid, four other European projects, and 15 national projects.

Cluster 3:
Network Operation

54%

Completed Projects

15%

Ongoing Projects

31%

Not started

This cluster studies ways of operating transmission systems that maintain high security of supply at reasonable costs. The R&D is quite advanced with just a few technical gaps. Several significant projects like After, FutureFlow, iCoeur, iTesla, Garpur, Pegase, SafeWind, Umbrella, eight other European projects, and 19 national projects contribute to this cluster.

Cluster 4:
Market Design

29%

Completed Projects

21%

Ongoing Projects

49%

Not started

This cluster studies the ways and means of facilitating interaction between European electricity markets and the pan-European grid. The aim is to achieve a more efficient and integrated market by optimising the energy mix at the pan-European level while ensuring security of supply. An estimated half of the technical objectives are already covered through Anemos Plus, eBadge, EcoGrid EU, Optimate, Seetsoc, seven other European projects, and 13 national projects.

Cluster 5:
Asset Management

13%

Completed Projects

3%

Ongoing Projects

84%

Not started

This cluster is developing cost-effective asset management strategies, while optimising CAPEX and OPEX of the existing infrastructure. Work in this ­cluster will demonstrate how to utilise advanced measurement technology, improve our understanding of system constraints, and develop optimal maintenance and replacement strategies in a grid where new and old assets coexist. It is a less advanced ­cluster with important R&D gaps still to be covered, apart from the contributions of the European projects Best Paths, Garpur, InspireGrid, Seetsoc, and three national projects.

Cluster 6: Joint TSO / DSO R&D Activities

18%

Completed Projects

14%

Ongoing Projects

69%

Not started

This cluster focuses on the TSO/DSO interface and new smart grid services at the DSO level as well as their utilisation for regulation and ancillary services. There are still many important gaps in this cluster, despite contributions from Anemos Plus, eBadge, FutureFlow, SafeWind, eight other European projects, and 16 national projects.